RealGM

SA trades
S&T Jefferson

POR trades:
Pryzbilla, Fernandez

SA
Parker/ Hill/ Jerell
Fernandez/ Anderson
Ginobili/ Hairston/ Gee
Mcdyess/ Blair/ Bonner
Duncan/ Splitter/ Pryzbilla

POR
Miller/ Bayless
Roy/ Matthews/ Williams
Jefferson/ Batum/ Babbit
LMA/ Pendergraph/ Cunningham
Camby/ Oden

Not a fan of either team, but with POR still needing an efficent small forward, Jefferson might be a good candidate. Fernandez has become irrelevant with the Matthews signing in POR and Pryz might have a hard time getting playing time between Camby and Oden.

SA loads up with another Euro and smore size at the center position to allow Splitter to come along a little more slowly and get acclimated to the NBA game. SA gets more outside shooting which they have been sorely lacking to keep other teams honest.

No from Portland. I'd prefer Batum to see big minutes at SF over Jefferson stealing time there.

Cucad...simple question, are you guys still trying to be in develop mode or win mode? Batum looks like he may turn into a nice player, but I don't think anyone would disagree he has a long way to go. Just a thought. Are you guys still looking for any small forwards, or are you content to stand pat?

SF position is fine, we need to use the assets we have to upgrade PG and backup PF

I can surely see SAS doing it. It doesn't look so good for Portland, IMO.

Batum is the very definition of an efficient small forward. No thanks.

Says the team who brought in a ball dominant PG to mesh w/ a ball dominant SG

Jefferson may have backtracked in the Spurs system but yeah he gets Portland in true compete mode instead of continuing to develop our young players mode.

Batum could come off the bench and still get his minutes.

SideSwipe wrote:Cucad...simple question, are you guys still trying to be in develop mode or win mode? Batum looks like he may turn into a nice player, but I don't think anyone would disagree he has a long way to go. Just a thought. Are you guys still looking for any small forwards, or are you content to stand pat?

I think we can be in win now and in the future mode, and get enough help from Batum. We need defense out of the SF position, and Batum is a better defender than Jefferson is. With Roy and Aldridge and Miller, we don't need 18 PPG out of the SF position. We need a role player who can knock down open shots and play good defense. S&Ting for Jefferson doesn't push us any closer to winning now.

SideSwipe wrote:Batum looks like he may turn into a nice player, but I don't think anyone would disagree he has a long way to go. Just a thought. Are you guys still looking for any small forwards, or are you content to stand pat?

I believe Batum is a decent starter now, myself. He's already one of the best defenders at the position and he's an efficient, low usage player on offense.

I think Batum is better than Jefferson today, especially for the Blazer system.

WillyJakk7 wrote:Says the team who brought in a ball dominant PG to mesh w/ a ball dominant SG

Jefferson may have backtracked in the Spurs system but yeah he gets Portland in true compete mode instead of continuing to develop our young players mode.

Batum could come off the bench and still get his minutes.

And it worked out fantastically well. Before Roy got hurt and when Miller finally started with him Roy was putting up career highs, but don't pay attention to stats.

not gonna work for Portland. RJ is not and will not be as good as he was a few years back. He's done. Spurs took a gamble on him and it didn't work out.

Interesting opinions to both sides. If the concensus in POR is that the starting SF role is adequately filled and the needs now are depth at PG and PF, then I suppose that changes the argument a little. I certainly hadn't heard that, nor do I necessarily agree, but that's okay.

How many minutes are you thinking RJ is going to play if this went through anyways? There's no minutes at SG, less than 15 at SF (Batum and Roy) and he can't play PF, while we give up 2 of our trade chips we need for other things

The value here is fare, but I completely agree with those who would prefer to just let Batum get more minutes. Anyone who thinks RJ is a significant improvement on Batum has not watched Batum play recently. Batum is already a much better defender and his offensive game has dramatically improved. If he's not already, Batum will be a better all-around SF than RJ by some point this season.

tbg wrote:The value here is fare, but I completely agree with those who would prefer to just let Batum get more minutes. Anyone who thinks RJ is a significant improvement on Batum has not watched Batum play recently. Batum is already a much better defender and his offensive game has dramatically improved. If he's not already, Batum will be a better all-around SF than RJ by some point this season.

This.

Blazers pass EASILY on this.